For many people, it’s an issue about whether people have dignity in death. When the US state of Oregon legalised assisted dying, the law was entitled the ‘Death with Dignity Act’ (1997). The Swiss clinic where people famously have gone for an assisted death is named ‘Dignitas’.

Here in the UK, dignity is equated with assisted dying by the campaign group ‘Dignity in Dying’. It was originally the Voluntary Euthanasia Legalisation Society, but changed its name in 2005. This was, of course, a very effective marketing move – ‘voluntary euthanasia legalisation’ sounds controversial, but who can argue with a campaign for dignity for those who are dying?

But what does ‘dignity in dying’ really mean? The organisation claims to be campaigning for three things: